More reform for EU entry
Brussels Turkey must fulfil its obligation to open its ports to traffic from Cyprus to avoid serious problems in its EU entry talks, according to Olli Rehn, the EU’s Enlargement Commissioner.
Mr Rehn also told the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee that further progress in political and human rights reforms was “absolutely necessary”. (Reuters)
Trial resumes
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Tripoli A Libyan court resumed the retrial of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV. The medics, in jail in Libya since 1999, had their convictions overturned last year. (Reuters)
Airlines banned
Brussels Three airlines — two based in Kyrgyzstan and one in Surinam — were banned from landing in the EU, as the European Commission expanded its airlines blacklist, which is part of a Union effort to improve passenger safety. (AP)
Securitate claim
Bucharest Dan Voiculescu, the Romanian Conservative party chief, said that he would refute in court an accusation by the council studying the Securitate archives that he collaborated with the former Communist regime’s political police. (AFP)
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Water battle ends
Parachinar Pakistani troops restored order in the Kurram region near the Afghan border after clashes over scarce water supplies. At least 14 people were killed and 35 injured after rival villagers fought with rifles, mortars and rocket- propelled grenades. (Reuters)
House arrest
Bridgeport A Connecticut judge has spared the life of Lewis, an alleged serial scratcher who attacked at least half a dozen people in the Fairfield neighbourhood. However, the cat must stay inside his owner’s home. “There are no exceptions. None,” Judge Patrick Carroll told Ruth Cisero. (AP)
US acts over missile test
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Washington America has activated its untried ground-based interceptor missile-defence system amid international condemnation of an expected North Korean test launch of a long-range Taepodong-2 missile.
A North Korean official said earlier that the country did not feel bound by pledges to halt test firings of long-range missiles and many American experts have said that Pyongyang has a legal right to test. (Reuters)
Trick or treat
Abuja Nigerians travelling to Britain are being warned about the risk of falling victim to confidence tricksters. The Nigerian High Commission in London is urging citizens to be wary of “miscreants who employ tricks to dispossess people of their property”. (AFP)
Tamil attacks
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Colombo An attack by Tamil Tiger rebels on a navy base at Muttur was repulsed, say the military. The attack came soon after the Tigers were accused of shooting at Somawathi, a Buddhist shrine, to provoke reprisals by Sri Lanka’s Buddhist majority. (AP)
Fatal swordplay
Beijing A woman has been charged with killing her husband with a sword after he refused to make her dinner. Police said Tang Xiaowan, 25, picked up her sword, put it on Li Weidong’s chest and promptly slipped, killing Li by mistake. (Reuters)
Man ‘monkey god’
Calcutta Thousands of people have been flocking to worship a man in West Bengal who can climb trees in seconds, gobbles up bananas and has a “tail”. They believe that Chandre Oraon, 27, is an incarnation of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god. (Reuters)